2010 Survivor Poetry Challenge: Plotting & Planning

[Lauren Hynde]

We have the go-ahead for another edition of Poetry Survivor, so we need to get together and come up with a game plan.

I know the direction things took last year turned out to be too constraining for most people, and a lot of people complained it stiffled creativity. It seems obvious to me that we need to get rid of the triggers, or limit them special bonus challenges. Perhaps we can take a hint about what works and doesn't by looking at other challenges already in existence in the forum, like the 30/30. That's a challenge that has, at its core, the same intent as Survivor.

What if Survivor had a component that encouraged you to post a new poem each day, each week, each month? Bonus points for the longest consecutive runs, for example.

 

[Middleagepoet]

We have the go-ahead for another edition of Poetry Survivor, so we need to get together and come up with a game plan.

I know the direction things took last year turned out to be too constraining for most people, and a lot of people complained it stiffled creativity. It seems obvious to me that we need to get rid of the triggers, or limit them special bonus challenges. Perhaps we can take a hint about what works and doesn't by looking at other challenges already in existence in the forum, like the 30/30. That's a challenge that has, at its core, the same intent as Survivor.

What if Survivor had a component that encouraged you to post a new poem each day, each week, each month? Bonus points for the longest consecutive runs, for example.

I think perhaps the poem each day/week/month might be a difficult thing to administer considering the timing between submission and the time it appears on Lit. I know poetry moves quicker than the stories, which normally take about three days for anything except audio or illustrated categories, but you could still theoretically submit a poem a day but depending upon the time of day you submit and the time Lit actually posts it, you may see two in one day and then none the next. Even with weekly or monthly deadlines, a poem might be submitted in time but not show up the next day.

I wonder if the combination of a prompt requirement with a form requirement might be a bit burdensome. Perhaps you could award one point for satisfying a specific form and if a prompt is also achieved another point could be awarded. That way if a person submits a form without meeting a prompt requirement they get 1 point. If they submit either a free form or a form already scored with a prompt they get 1 point. Then if they submit a form that meets a prompt a second point is awarded. The poet would need to identify what form and/or prompt they claim with submission of the poem.

Hmmm... that may be tough to administer too. What do you think Lauren?


MAP
jim

 

[UnderYourSpell]

Don't quite see how a poem a day would work, nobody would get to take vacations! I know I am in a minority in saying that I liked the triggers or some of them (gave me something to aim for, more ideas). I will enter the new one but I won't lie to you I feel pretty burnt out now and I was struggling at the end

 

[EroticOrogeny]

I think there is benefit to both triggers and forms, but requiring triggers for all is too restrictive.
Perhaps forms plus free verse (like before) and some triggers, but not for all poems.
Multipe chocie triggers ? use 20 of 40 or whatever.
I too think consequetive streaks is problematic.

 

[LadynStFreknBed]

I like the idea of encouraging writing every day, but I agree with some of the concerns about that. Perhaps it could be used as a bonus with a Survivor 30/30 thread? That way any delays in posting on Lit would not interfere.

Multiple choice for triggers might be a good compromise. If there was a large list of triggers to start with, people who work their way through the forms would have some new choices for their second round. If you need some help with triggers, maybe we could brainstorm a list.

 

[champagne1982]

How about using the index for stories as some kind of twisted trigger thing... Incest = familial love and unity... Anal = assholes we'd like to fuck up..

You know what I mean? JK. I don't know if I'd do any better this year than last. But it was fun writing the few I have.

 

[annaswirls]

I did not finish this one.

Too restrictive and I wrote crappy poetry for the sake of following rules.

The triggers did not bother me much. BUT instead of triggers, it might be interesting to do poetry exercises that encourage people to explore topics that they might not venture into. Many sites do such challenges, and include poetry prompts from great current poets like Sharon Olds and Kim A. These exercizes allow enough freedom for the writer to write what moves them.

One a week would be doable. Present one a week, but do not make it DUE that week. Just get as many done before the end.

Write a poem in which you literally build or take apart something for the reader. Describe each step of the process for the reader, incorporating technical terms and descriptions of materials. Create a lyric or narrative poem that “shows” the reader how it’s done.

(by Deborah Digges, from The Practice of Poetry, Robin Behn and Chase Twichell, eds.)

Gesture Exercise

Spend twenty minutes observing people in a public place. Make a list of the gestures that people make, no matter how subtle. For example, the way a child twirls her hair around a finger, or the way a woman tucks loose strands of hair behind one ear.

Choose one gesture and describe its motions in great detail. Build a poem around this moment and what you think it tells you about the person.

​

Maybe have monthly challenges be form poetry?

As I requested in the past, I really think it is more important that ALL elements of good poetry be included. Instead of Haiku, do Imagery. Instead of Pantoum, do Onomatopoeia. This would allow the participants to work on stretching their talents without being restricted by topic or form.


At any rate, I know there are many different opinions on what a challenge should be. I do not think it should be painful or some kind of survival test, like pledge week or something, because that does not encourage the creativity of the participants.

 

[Lauren Hynde]

I did not finish this one.

It was still enough to finish in the top 5. Did you see Laurel's announcement?

I like what I'm reading. Let's hear some more ideas, and by the end of the week I'll try to coalesce them into some sort of draft.

 

[annaswirls]

It was still enough to finish in the top 5. Did you see Laurel's announcement?

I like what I'm reading. Let's hear some more ideas, and by the end of the week I'll try to coalesce them into some sort of draft.

Hold on, does that mean even 5th place gets a prize? whoohoo! I hope it is cookies.

 

[UnderYourSpell]

Hold on, does that mean even 5th place gets a prize? whoohoo! I hope it is cookies.

I PMed Laurel about my prize but I never heard anything back

 

[EroticOrogeny]

Me too

I PMed Laurel about my prize but I never heard anything back

I PM'd Laurel and got a response asking for my email, and making sure that spam filters were properly set.
I responded with my work email, which is my Lit registered one. I think it should be OK - besides notification of Lit PMs it also gets stuff like Nigerian bank scams and for drugs, such as Viagra.
I haven't heard anything, in over a week - I'll PM her again.

 

[UnderYourSpell]

I PM'd Laurel and got a response asking for my email, and making sure that spam filters were properly set.
I responded with my work email, which is my Lit registered one. I think it should be OK - besides notification of Lit PMs it also gets stuff like Nigerian bank scams and for drugs, such as Viagra.
I haven't heard anything, in over a week - I'll PM her again.

I didn't even get that, perhaps I should PM again but I don't like to look pushy or impatient

 

[Angeline]

I did not finish this one.

Too restrictive and I wrote crappy poetry for the sake of following rules.

The triggers did not bother me much. BUT instead of triggers, it might be interesting to do poetry exercises that encourage people to explore topics that they might not venture into. Many sites do such challenges, and include poetry prompts from great current poets like Sharon Olds and Kim A. These exercizes allow enough freedom for the writer to write what moves them.

One a week would be doable. Present one a week, but do not make it DUE that week. Just get as many done before the end.

Write a poem in which you literally build or take apart something for the reader. Describe each step of the process for the reader, incorporating technical terms and descriptions of materials. Create a lyric or narrative poem that “shows” the reader how it’s done.

(by Deborah Digges, from The Practice of Poetry, Robin Behn and Chase Twichell, eds.)

Gesture Exercise

Spend twenty minutes observing people in a public place. Make a list of the gestures that people make, no matter how subtle. For example, the way a child twirls her hair around a finger, or the way a woman tucks loose strands of hair behind one ear.

Choose one gesture and describe its motions in great detail. Build a poem around this moment and what you think it tells you about the person.

​

Maybe have monthly challenges be form poetry?

As I requested in the past, I really think it is more important that ALL elements of good poetry be included. Instead of Haiku, do Imagery. Instead of Pantoum, do Onomatopoeia. This would allow the participants to work on stretching their talents without being restricted by topic or form.


At any rate, I know there are many different opinions on what a challenge should be. I do not think it should be painful or some kind of survival test, like pledge week or something, because that does not encourage the creativity of the participants.

These are great recommendations (which coming from you doesn't surprise me). We need more prompts that allow people to explore poetry in various ways according to their own interests. That will get more people writing more. And while I agree it's good to have people write form poetry because it's good practice for writing well, if nothing else, too much form stuff kills the challenge. Most people do not want to write much in the way of forms, they just don't. Anyway, whether one chooses to respond to a trigger with a form poem or not, good poetry will ensue (at least from some people some of the time, we hope lol).

I think we do need a poll to see what people are interested in doing this year.

 

[UnderYourSpell]

worried now that I liked the forms

 

[EroticOrogeny]

worried now that I liked the forms

I think some of my better ones were with the forms, perhaps because it forced me to work on it more.
I do hope we get started again soon.

 

[Algonquin Twit]

I plan to compete this year.


AT

 

[GuiltyPleasure]

<<<<<waiting to see the fine print.

 

[UnderYourSpell]

<<<<<waiting to see the fine print.

Drags Tess in and nails her to the floor ..... last year I hadn't got the foggiest what I was letting myself in for and hadn't even heard of some of the things expected of me (i.e concrete poems) so from my smug (or go one let me be smug just this once it will never happen again!) height I say go for it whatever is on the cards.

 

[EroticOrogeny]

Drags Tess in and nails her to the floor ..... last year I hadn't got the foggiest what I was letting myself in for and hadn't even heard of some of the things expected of me (i.e concrete poems) so from my smug (or go one let me be smug just this once it will never happen again!) height I say go for it whatever is on the cards.

I do like Angeline's suggestion of a poll to help guide in setting the rules, but I too plan on participating as much as I can.